Riverside Contracting’s proposed opencut gravel mine in Shepherd, called the Donnes site, has officially been blocked for the time being by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for a laundry list of deficiencies. After three months of review following a public meeting in April for area residents to voice their concerns, DEQ has determined that Riverside’s application inadequately addressed concerns about the effect the gravel pit would have on the area’s water supply and wildlife, among other things. Riverside Contracting declined to comment on this ruling.
In the deficiency letter sent to Riverside by DEQ, the first issue they take with Riverside’s application is the 5.5-acre non-bonded area included within the proposed boundary which a DEQ archaeologist stated may have cultural resources “located within that area and they cannot be mined or disturbed.” The archaeologist also said that the plan to divert water toward the northeast non-bonded area could be considered a potential impact to cultural resources. In addition to this, the Army Corps of Engineers said that wetlands are located within this area and public comments “have indicated that the northeast corner was formerly used as a garbage dump and contaminants may be unearthed if disturbed.”
The application also states that the site would be accessed from a road on the adjacent property to the east. Unfortunately for them, that road and property are not owned by the landowner and a “No Trespassing” sign is displayed prominently at the entrance to the road. If Riverside decides to resubmit an application and try again, they would need to either get a Landowner Consultation form signed and submitted by the owner of that property or find a new access point.
Riverside also failed to list the wildlife present in the area on their application. DEQ says the animals with presence in the proposed area include great horned owls, red tailed hawks, bald eagles, golden eagles, sandhill cranes, blue herons, blue jays, osprey, moose, least weasel, fish, rabbits, bees, turkeys, pheasants, ducks, hummingbirds, sage grouse, amphibians, muskrats, beavers, mountain lions, Canada geese, frogs, turtles, snakes, antelope, bats, raccoons, goldfinches, wrens, swallows, and robins. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
